The Sussex Law School offers both MPhil and DPhil research degrees. Our aim is to continue to foster a sense of excellence in the areas where we already enjoy recognition, while looking at expanding our expertise and reputation. Sussex Law School is committed to increasing the size and quality of our research student body, involving research students in our research agenda, and ensuring that students receive an excellent training in legal research methodology. Doctoral students will benefit not only from participating in activities within Sussex Law School but also more generally within the School of Law, Politics and Sociology, of which the Law School is a key part.

Research culture

The Sussex Law School has actively been creating an environment conducive to supporting the development and completion of research projects by both staff and research students. Under the leadership of the Sussex Law School Research Committee, research initiatives by staff are flourishing. They include the regular organisation of workshops, the running of a year-long seminar series, and the setting up of reading groups in a number of key areas of research expertise within the School. These are all run with a view to facilitating individual research through active, if often informal, co-operation. The pursuit of externally funded research is encouraged.

The School is proud to count among its faculty individuals who are leading figures in their field. These include Craig Barker (immunities in international law), Jo Bridgeman (the child in healthcare law), Mark Davies (civil and professional liability in the medical and legal professions), Marie-Bénédicte Dembour (European human rights law in context), Heather Keating (criminal law), Craig Lind (family law and sexuality), Sue Millns (European and comparative public law), Malcolm Ross (European state aid law and public services regulation), Jennifer Temkin (criminal law, criminal justice, evidence and forensic science) and Richard Vogler (comparative criminal justice systems). We also have a number of more junior colleagues who are already making a mark in their respective fields.

Many interests are pursued within the School, and we host a number of research groups which operate in the broad areas of constitutionalism and citizenship, governance, solidarity, security, and responsibilities and rights.  These groups carry out work across many aspects of law, notably child and family law, European law, international law, criminal law and criminal justice, health care law, property law, competition law, the law of obligations and comparative law. We are keen to attract postgraduate research students interested in pursuing research that falls within any of the broad themes around which our research groups are structured. Law faculty are also involved with the Justice and Violence Research Centre and the Sussex Centre for Migration Research. Interdisciplinarity, a hallmark of the University of Sussex, directly informs the work of some members of the School, including most prominently that of Marie-Bénédicte Dembour (social anthropology) and Jennifer Temkin (forensic science). See also Faculty research interests.

Areas of special interest

We welcome applications from well-qualified students looking to join our exciting research course. We especially look forward to receiving applications which address issues related to:

• the child and the family
• comparative criminal justice
• comparative legal theory
• constitutionalism
• criminal law, including the treatment of sexual offences
• criminology, criminal justice and international criminal justice
• critical legal theory
• culture and rights
• EU competition law
• European citizenship
• European human rights law
• feminist and gender perspectives on law
• healthcare law
• human rights issues set in a social context
• intellectual property law
• international environmental law/sustainable development
• international law and state immunities
• international criminal law
• law and social theory
• law and neoliberalism
• law and political economy
• migration and identity issues
• policing
• professional negligence and professional regulation
• rights and responsibilities
• science and law
• security
• sociology of law
• solidarity

Duration

If full time, students are expected to complete their MPhil in two years and their DPhil in either three (DPhil) or four (New Route DPhil) years. The New Route DPhil starts with a one-year course of taught modules in research methods and professional skills: the MSc in Social Research Methods (Legal Studies). This route corresponds to the 1+3 route identified by the ESRC for studentship support. If part-time, students are expected to complete their MPhil in three to four years and their DPhil in five to six years.

Admissions requirements and application process

Applicants are expected to have a good degree in law or a relevant subject such as politics, economics or history, and a Masters degree in law or a related area of study. Applicants whose first language is not English must be able to demonstrate a high level of competence in English.

Candidates are selected on the basis of the strength of their research proposal, the existence of a connection between their research interests and those of prospective supervisors, their academic credentials and the letters of reference they submit.

Candidates are very welcome to contact the Course Convenor Dr Richard Vogler informally prior to sending their application form.

Course content

• All first-year students take a research design module and are expected to attend a minimum of two connected research events per term.
• All first-year students are invited to take a research methods module, which includes an introduction to the philosophy of social science, different approaches to research and methods of data collection and analysis. New-route DPhil candidates are required to take this module.
• Workshops are organised for research students to present and discuss work-in-progress.
• Faculty seminars feature research reports.
• Individual supervisory support is provided on a regular basis by tutors with established expertise in relevant fields.
• Students are encouraged to attend a wide variety of other meetings and seminars organised by faculty, often involving visiting speakers.
• Students can sit in on LLM and MA seminars where appropriate.
• Student self-help groups are organised for all students to participate in peer support.

Assessment

The research is written up in the form of a research thesis. A DPhil thesis is expected to be about 80,000 words in length. It must make a substantial original contribution to knowledge and understanding. An MPhil thesis is expected to be about 40,000 words. It must either make an original contribution to knowledge or understanding, or be a valuable presentation or interpretation of material put together in an original manner. The thesis is examined by two examiners, one external and one internal. The degree is awarded on the basis of a viva and the examiners' reports.

Facilities for law students

Sussex Law School has a dedicated workroom including up-to-date computing facilities and workspaces. Students also have access to a wide range of law publications and journals via the University of Sussex Library.